Pollinator Waterers:

In silico et in situ takes the art out of the gallery and into the environment by creating site-specific art installations through the use of 3D scanning and printing technology. These sculptural interventions are created by using source materials or inspirations from the natural (Bath, Oh: fauna habitats) or urban environment (Vienna, Austria: 3D printed fragments of interest).

After manipulating the source material virtually (in silico) with 3D software, the sculptures are physically manifested through the use 3D printing in a variety of materials and then placed back into either nature or the urban environment (in situ), where the source material was harvested (3D scanned) or inspired from. As the pieces become publicly accessible they allow for a playful discovery of the work. The land and urban scape is then intricately linked with the artwork, converging in the creation of a contemporary techno-voxel sculptures. The work reflects on the theme of discovery, art, fragments and artifact, and comments on our current state of technology and its impact on society and nature.

In Summer of 2017 the first 3 prototypes created were an a turtle basking platform an LED Spider ring habitat and a pollinator watering station. All 3 prototypes were digitally designed and produced on a 3D printer and all three were used by the intended animals. It has proven to be a tremendous learning experience to showcase the interplay of the digital with the habitat design, to not only inspire future interest in biology, but also in new forms of digital design and fabrication.

Bees and any pollinators are under environmental pressure and can use a helping hand. These watering stations help provide water safely in any chosen environment, say next to a pollinator garden or bee hotel. The sculpture is loosely inspired by the ridges that are formed on the side of a river. As the water level subsides, different heights of ridges give pollinators access to safe drinking water, away from predators such as frogs. The larger station is about 18 inches in diameter and the smaller is 12 inches. Besides photos of wasps (no bees yet), we have caught plenty of birds using it to drink from. Currently we are working on different sizes to be not only deployed in the field but also to be used in family’s backyards.